Combined tag and sample holder



Feb. 1, 1944. c. w. WALTER COMBINED TAG AND` SAMPLE HOLDER I Filed Oct. .9, 1942 4114411 vll mo 3: Walkie? DoNoRs FNA-M E unnJmm ABB m a ...b m w N .m d B am 4 L.

v e wwww 0 d n e WN@ PW S D DP Patented Feb. 1, 1944 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE COMBINED TAG AND SAMPLE HOLDER Carl W. Walter, Newton, Mass. Application October 9, 1942, Serial No. 461,394 i 2 Claims.

My present invention relates to the identification of the contents of bottles, jars and other containers, and the displaying of data relative to such contents, while desirably also associating with the container one or more separately available specimens of the content material. More particularly the invention aims to provide simple, inexpensive and readily manipulated means for the purpose stated.

In the drawing illustrating by way of example one embodiment of the invention, in this instance as especially adapted for use by blood banks:

Fig. 1 is a plan of a combined tag, record display and sample holder in its flat or blank form prior to use; 4

Fig. 2 is an elevational view of the device of Fig. 1 installed in use position on a container, shown as of the bottle, jar or ask type; and

Fig. 3 is a view in top plan, corresponding to Fig. 2.

Referring to the drawing in more detail, the combination tag or label and holder, indicated generally by the numeral 5 comprises a strip or card of pliant sheet material adapted for folding, such as cardboard, paper board or other composition. The sheet material desirably is of a weight and toughness to resist tearing in use, and while flexible should have suiiicient body to be substantially self-supporting.

As best seen in its non-folded condition of Fig. l, the blank 5 has at one end an attaching portion 6 including a pair of apertured sections 'I and 8 hingedly connected to each other as at the fold line 9, and a further positioning section I beyond and attached to section 9 as at the fold line II.

The attaching sections 'l and 8 are each formed with a relatively large opening I2 and I3 respectively. These openings desirably are somewhat elongated crosswise the strip and have portions, herein lengthwise the strip,of a diameter slightly less than that of the top T of the container C, Figs. 2 and 3, with which the label and holder device is to be used.l In the illustrative example these openings I2, I3 are of a general elliptical form having one side somewhat widened or projected in a rounded angular manner; Figs. 1 and 3. They are reversely disposed on the respective sections 'l and 8 and are positioned so as to register when the two sections are folded flatwise toward eachother along their hinge connection 9, as in Figs. 2 and 3.

wise the blank in proportion to the diameter `of the container with which the label andholder device is to bev used. Desirably it has a length to extend out and down, in general conformity with the shoulder of the container, to the outer side wall of the latter. Thus the other parts of the device, to be described, are adapted to be supported in a substantially upright position against the container wall, as seen in Fig. 2..

The attaching section 1 has its outer corners rounded as at I4, I4, reducing projections likely to be knocked or marred in-handling. Similarly the blank 5 may be eonvexly recessed laterally adjacent theends of the hinge line 9, as at I5, I5 and 15,16, affording rounded corner formations in the folded position of the attaching sections l and 8. y

Beyond said positioning section I 0 and attached to it at a further hinge line Il is a holder portion or rack I8 comprising two sections I9 and. 20, shown as of substantially equal extent lengthwise the blank and themselves hingedly interconnected as at the fold line 2I.

These holder sections I9 and 2,0 have formed in them one or more pairs of article-receiving openings or holding formations 22, 23, three pairsbeing shown in the illustrated example. The openings of each pair are in line lengthwise the blank, one at each side of the hinge line ZI and equally spaced from it. Thus when the holder sections I9, 20 are folded toward each other along said line 2| between the individual openings of the pair or pairs, those of each pair will register or substantially so, adapting'them to receive and support an article insertedv through them, such for ex-V ample as the vials, test tubes or units S, Figs. 2 and 3, for presenting specimens of the content of 'a container to which the device is to be ap plied. Curved outer corner portions for these holder sections, in their folded position may be provided by lateral recessing ofthe blank as at 24, 25similarly as iii-connection with the attach-` ing sections l and 8. i

The'remaining'portion orf section 3i) of Vthe blank 5, beyond and in continuation of the lower holder section 20, tof which it is hingedly connected as at the fold line 26, provides for recording facts and data relative 'tothe content of the particular bottle or container. This recorder or data portion 39' may be'of a length appropriate for presenting the information. to 'be recorded but preferably doesnot exceedthe height ofy the straight side wall of the container, so'thatthe' device when installed as in- Fig. '2 hangs short 0f the container base. Here again the outer or lower corners desirably are rounded, as at 3I, 3|.

The available area of the record portion 30 may be demarked into spaces or subdivisions having associated with them any desired legends, indicia, punching or other marking areas and the like for receiving and displaying the appropriate information and data.

Merely by way of example these may include a space 32 for a certificate and signature ofthe examiningY physician as to the healthy condition of the blood donor, with an associated blank space as at 33 for the donors name. Other spaces as at 34, 35 may be marked for recording the serology of the blood as to whether negative or positive, the date on which the particular bleeding is pooled or added to the given blood bank, also for marking the blood group of the donor as O, A, B or AB, also an indication of the pool number. Another space as for exampleat 36 may present forms or spaces for other data, such as that concerning the transfusion of the blood plasma to a recipient. Such information may include the recipients name and blood group, the name of the person who does the cross-matching, also of the person who makes the infusion, also an indication or description of any reaction or other pertinent circumstance;A

Other parts of the blank than the main record portion 30 also maycarry printed matter or be otherwise used for display or recording'purposes. For example, the positioning section I may serve as a title or other label portion, carrying some such legend as Human citrate bleeding, together with spaces for the date andtheserial number. It also will be understood ,thatv the combined label and holder of the invention.

otherwise .appropriately marked, may be em ployed in other connections than with blood banks, as for example in a system of administering intravenous uids, or in anyinstance where the contents of bottles, jars'and other containers are to be labelled and one Vor more specimens are to be presented in external-association with the container. i Y' tion. By a reverse procedure however it is easily removable when such is desired.

Either before or after installing the card on the container the positioning section I0 is folded slightly downward along the line II. Also the holder portion or rack IB is folded along the line I1, and the two cooperative holder sections I9, of said holder portion or rack are reversely folded on hinge line 2I. The resulting V-like rib or projection is setv at the desired-angle relative to the data portion 30 by folding alongthe line 26.

The two sections I9, 20 of the holder portion or'rack I8 thus present their corresponding receiving apertures 22, 23 in registering relation, so that elongated articles such as the vials or test Y tubesS are easily inserted through them. The

The manner of manipulating the rcombined tag and holder will be evident from the foregoing description in connection' with the drawing.'V The container C as there shown by way'of example is of the bottle or jar type having a reduced neck anda top or closure cap T. 'For-installing the identification and holder card, its outer attachingr sectionv I is folded along hinge line 9 toward or against the adiacent section 8. vso as to lie either above or below the latter in the installed position of Fig. 2. The positioning on the bottle' usually is somewhat firmer withthe end section '1 folded in below the section 8. as Vshown in Fig. 2. Thus folded the openings I2, I3 register. enabling the attaching sections "I and B readily to be placed over'and moved down about the upper portion of the bottle or container. so as to enclose its neck. In thus attaching -thedevice the apertured sections are tiltedfslightly. allowing the wider portion of the aperturesto be placed below any bead at the bottle top, the opposite portion of the openings being then forced down onto and around the bottle neck. The fiexibility of the sheet material permits the attaching sectionsto bend so as to increase the eective diameter of the openings, so that the device readily passes into installed position as in Fig. 2, from which it cannot be unintentionally displaced without inutila placing of such articles on the card is facilitated by bringing the two sections I9, 20 together, into atwise contact with each other or substantially so, and inserting the articles while the sections are so held. Subsequent release of the holder sections allows them to spring slightly open, substantially as in Fig.'2, by reason of the inherent resiliency of the sheet material in the region of the hinge connection 2 I. Thus these sections I9, 20 are given a slight bias relative to the articles, such as the tubes S, with a frictional holding effect on the latter. Also by reason of the engagement of the articles at two levels, by the somewhat opened sections I 9, 20 respectively in their angularly spaced relation such as illustrated in Fig. 2, the articles are rmly held and their tendencyto swing is reduced.`

The particular articles illustrated, namely the tubes or vials S, are employed, in connection with a blood bank system,to present specimens of the bleeding in the particular container with which theyare associated by the label and holder card, of which the rack or holder portion I8 including its sections I9 and 20 constitutes specimen-receiving or specimen-presenting means. This makes it unnecessary to open the container for sampling purposes, so avoiding any risk of spoilage or'contaminatio'niof the main content. While oneor other number of such specimen units or tubes may be employed, it is found convenient for blood bank purposes to provide three of them, one for the Wasserman test,l one for typing or initially identifying the blood group, and one for subsequent cross-matching' purposes. Heretofore such tubes or other receivers for specimens have not beenv satisfactorily related to the main containers, being merely tied to them by string or tape, or connected as by a rubber band, rather insecurely, with theresult that they frequently became displaced or were broken or lost, 'sometimes requiring the typing and testing to be repeated,` and otherwise causing trouble," waste.' and loss of time and eiort. l

While I have herein represented the attaching portion 5 as having two hingedly connected apertured sections itl will be understood that one of holder portion or rack I8 may be omitted, and the arrangement and relative positioning of either or both the rack or holder portion I8 and the recording portion, whether the latter is below or above the rack or holder portion, may be varied from that of the illustrated example.

After the plasma or other content of a particular container has been used, the data or record portion or portions of the device, or the entire card, may be kept as a permanent record, as in a card ling system. In that connection provi sion may be made for readily removing the attaching portion 6. I have therefore represented the fold line l l of Fig. 1 also as presenting a tear line or line of weakness, such as a series of perforations or cut-scoring, to facilitate such separation. Such provision for separation may be otherwise located than at a fold line and if desired similar provision for detachment of one or more other parts of the card device as a whole may be made.

My invention is not limited to the particular embodiment as illustrated or described herein by way of example, its scope being pointed out in my following claims.

I claim:

1. A combination label and holder for readily removable attachment to bottles and like containers, comprising a blank of foldable sheet material including an attaching portion apertured to iit about a reduced part of the container, and a connected holder portion having two sections resiliently hingedly interconnected along a fold line, said sections having apertured receiving vformations positioned to register on folding of the sections along said line and to engage with a biasedirictional holding eiect in corresponding angularly related planes an elongated article inserted through them. y

2. A combination tag, record and specimen holder device for readily removable attachment to bottles and like containers, said device comprising a body of pliant sheet material including foldably connected aligned attaching, holder and data recording portions, the attaching portion having a section formed with an aperture to en close a reduced part of the container thereby to support the device as a whole with its other portions -pendently disposed, the holder portion including contiguous sections foldable into projective resiliently interhinged angular relation, said sections of the holder portion being mutu `ally apertured in registry in their folded relation for supporting reception of an elongated specimen unit, and the recording portion presenting spaces for legends and data pertinent to the container content, one or more of said portions being readily detachable for ling and liker disposition.

CARL W. WALTER. i 

